AMERICOM Signs Launch Contracts for Four Satellites
Sets Stage for Business Growth and Fleet Expansion in 2003 & 2004
SES AMERICOM, an
SES GLOBAL company (Luxembourg Stock Exchange:SESG; Frankfurt Stock
Exchange: SDSL), announced today that it has signed two launch
services contracts, one with International Launch Services (ILS) for
AMC-10 and AMC-11, and the other with Arianespace for AMC-13 and
AMC-15.
On the occasion of the contract signings, Dean Olmstead, President
and CEO of SES AMERICOM, said “We are demonstrating great confidence
in our business potential by planning to launch four best-in-class
spacecraft into strategic orbital positions giving us the capacity to
offer our customers superior service throughout the Americas and
beyond.” He continued, “When combined with our existing fleet and the
other satellites we will launch during this same time (AMC-9, a hybrid
C- and Ku-band satellite, expected to be operational over North
America in early 2003; and AMC-12, a C-band satellite providing
transatlantic and regional services planned for service 1st Half 2003)
the AMERICOM fleet will have unparalleled diversity, redundancy and
reach throughout the Americas, across the oceans and into Europe, Asia
and Africa.”
Darlene Freeman, Vice President, SES GLOBAL Sourcing, added, “The
execution of these contracts clearly demonstrates the synergies we
expected through the combination of ASTRA and AMERICOM as well as the
advantage of a centralized GLOBAL Sourcing process. By integrating
elements of existing ASTRA commitments into this set of agreements, we
have maximized the benefit to SES GLOBAL through a harmonized
combination of contracts with two exceptional vendors, ILS and
Arianespace. Based on past performance, we have deep and abiding
confidence in the launch vehicles, teams and services of both
providers.”
The AMC-10 and AMC-11 Will Serve Cable
The two all C-band spacecraft are designed for the delivery of
cable programming from their orbital positions of 135 degrees and 131
degrees West respectively. Based on the A2100 platform and being built
by Lockheed Martin, both “next generation” satellites will be launched
from ILS’ Cape Canaveral Station in Florida on Atlas IIAS launch
vehicles. Planned for operation in 2004, AMC-10 and AMC-11 will
replace Satcom C3 and C4. Major cable programmers have signed
contracts to use these cable neighborhood partners to reach over 80
million U.S. homes. Already committed to AMC-10 and AMC-11 are Viacom,
C-SPAN, CourtTV, Hallmark/Crown Media, iN DEMAND, Lifetime
Entertainment, Scripps and The Weather Channel.
AMC-13 – Crossing the Pacific
Being built by Alcatel on their Spacebus 4000 platform, the all
C-band satellite and will be launched from the Kourou Spaceport in the
2nd Half 2003 on the Ariane 5 ECA launch vehicle. The satellite will
deliver superior transpacific services from its172 degree East orbital
position as well as connections into the Americas, Australia and Asia
Pacific networks.
AMC-15 – North America’s First Ku-Ka Hybrid
Based on the A2100 model and being built by Lockheed Martin,
AMC-15 will feature America’s first operating Ka-band payload along
with 24 transponders of Ku-band capacity operating from 105 degrees
West. To be launched aboard an Ariane 5 ECA vehicle from Kourou in the
2nd Half 2004, the spacecraft has been designated to complement the
DBS spacecraft proposed by SES AMERICOM to be located at 105.5 degrees
and provide AMERICOM2HomeSM service.
About Arianespace
For over 20 years, Arianespace has been a leading launch services
provider specialized in serving the commercial geostationary satellite
market. In addition to operating the mature Ariane 5 vehicle,
Arianespace is the only launch services provider able to offer
customers the flexibility of dual-launch, which allows the company to
maintain a launch rate of 12 to 14 satellites a year. Created as the
world’s first commercial space transportation company, Arianespace has
launched 201 satellites to date and has a contract backlog of more
than 40. To find out more, visit www.arianespace.com.
About ILS
ILS, based in McLean, Va., is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin
Corp. (NYSE:LMT – News), manufacturer of the Atlas family of rockets, and
two Russian companies, Khrunichev State Research and Production Space
Center and RSC Energia, producers of the Proton vehicles. ILS was
formed in 1995 to market and manage the missions for the Proton and
Atlas. With two independent, highly reliable vehicles and two
dedicated launch sites, ILS offers Mutual Backup, thus assuring
satellites will be launched on schedule. The ILS backlog now stands at
33 missions. For more information, visit www.ilslaunch.com.
About SES AMERICOM
With over twenty-five years’ experience, SES AMERICOM, Inc. is
recognized as a pioneer and leading provider of global satellite
communications services, currently providing capacity on 16 spacecraft
serving the Americas, Europe, the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean Regions,
and Asia. As a member of the SES GLOBAL family, AMERICOM is able to
provide end-to-end telecommunications solutions to any region in the
world. SES AMERICOM’s key customers include ABC Radio Networks, AT&T
Alascom, British Telecom, Deutsche Welle, Discovery, Fox, TV
Guide/Gemstar, Gannett, Merlin, NBC, The New York Times, NHK, PaxNet,
PBS, TELE Greenland, TV Europa, TimeWarner/Turner Broadcasting, and
Viacom.
In November 2001, SES AMERICOM was combined with SES ASTRA to form
a new premier global satellite company, SES GLOBAL, S.A. The new
company delivers broadband services from 29 satellites to more than
90% of the world’s population. In addition, SES GLOBAL’s strategic
partnerships and participation in AsiaSat, NSAB, Star One, AMERICOM
ASIA-PACIFIC and Nahuelsat will combine to give entertainment,
telecommunications, Internet, news and enterprise customers access to
a fleet of 42 satellites.
